The Peoples Market, Elizabeth — Charlotte, NC
Bob Peters has been a staple to the city when it comes to hospitality and cocktail experiences at multiple spots in Charlotte. Whether you have never met or known him your whole life, you will immediately get that care and comfort from being around Bob. He makes it a priority to give everyone the level of experience we deserve. Whether it's a celebratory night out or you just need to get out and away from the stresses of life, Bob makes you appreciate the moments you are in and all the beauty around you and how special you truly are.
So recently I heard you say sometimes you are a lime cutter, ice go getting, grocery getter, you do it all (laughs)— “Because I’ve been doing this for 100 years, you can see things happen before they happen. You can walk in and see that it's going to be busy tonight; we need to refill the ice and take out the trash; if you see others busy, then do things that will help everybody. Setting up your stations for success, it's the day that you don’t have enough time to cut all the limes for the night; that’s the night you're the busiest, and you need all the limes, so it's just the mindset of always showing up, no matter what.”
Where did this passion for cocktail making and hospitality start for you? "My parents were always great hosts. You come over to our house — my Dad couldn't get a drink in your hand fast enough, and my Mom was cooking something for this big grand dinner. Strong hospitality was ingrained into me early, and the feeling of being welcomed and loved by the time you enter the house that's what I really enjoy. I love conveying that to my guests at the bar whether I've known you for 25 years or just two and a half minutes, its really neat and so cool to see people when you are genially in control of the situation, if you do it in a loving sort of open-handed way and when you can see someone's tough day slowly melt off of them, that's what its about. That’s how I want people to feel like when they are at Chief’s. Taken care of, happy, comfortable, and loved because they matter.”
What is Chief’s? “Chief’s is the new cocktail bar that I’m opening this spring next to the Goodyear House. I’m naming it after my Dad that passed nine years ago. I learned everything about hospitality from him and my mother.”
How do you maintain that mentality and execution all the time? I’m sure there are so many moments that get busy. “Setting the scene for someone to really sit and relax that's what its all about for me. An analogy that I love is that if you can be a duck on water, they look calm and steady above the water, but their feet move a mile a minute. You can have 100 things you should be doing, but when you're with a guest, they are the only person in the world at that moment, and they shouldn't feel rushed. Consistency is key and important, and that's where the service side of it kicks in for me. The other analogy I follow is when you are a kid, and you're bored, you grab a glove and a ball and throw it up in the air and catch it and think, that's not so bad; you do it 10 more times in a row and then 100 more times. That's what I think bout when I'm making drink #76 that night, making sure it's better and tastes just as good."
Are you a goal-driven person? You’ve been doing this for so long. Do you still have things you strive for? “World domination (laughs). I want something Charlotte can be proud of, and I try to set goals outside of myself. I was born and raised in Charlotte, and the city deserves to be on the map for food and drinks. It’s getting there, but I feel that it's been skipped over a lot. I would love to put Charlotte on the map for the hospitality business.”
What is a proud moment that stands out to you that has shaped you into the person you are today? "When I was working for Bryan Li at Pisces. We went way back and worked together previously, and he was a bar back for me at a place called Alley Cat; fast forward, he was opening his own restaurant and asked if I could help. We worked on a cocktail menu, and I asked what kind of menu he wanted, and he said, "I want to be able to charge $15 a drink." This was 12 years ago; those were steep prices, but that would have put us on par with top places in Charlotte. I was a huge fan of Bryan and said that we could just make a drink and charge $15. We need beautiful glassware and a nice selection of liquors, like why is that bottle there? Why is it important to be in your restaurant? Fresh ingredients, different types of ice. Back then, those things were not thought of inside of a cocktail bar. We were kind of on the front end of that cocktail movement in Charlotte. In that process, I helped one of my favorite people in the whole world, and I needed to do my job the best that I possibly could. If I did that then it would bring light to the cocktail program and restaurant. We started to get write-ups on the bar, and top chefs in the city would come to see what the bar was all about. People would schedule longer layovers just to grab cocktails at the bar. That's when we knew we were doing something, and that's when other things started to happen. The Ritz Carlton came knocking on my door. We did some really great things for the cocktail program there. In 2015, I won the Global Bartender of the Year award for The Ritz-Carlton Corporation. I was so shocked and humbled by that honor."
Are there any lessons you have learned along the way that you still take with you daily? “We touched on it earlier; show up and show up on time. If you know you have a bunch of stuff to do, show up and get it done. You’ll spend too much time playing catch up and then one of your guests have a bad experience. Showing up and having a great attitude. Nobody wants to get a drink from a salty bartender. Do everything you can just to put things behind you and try to make someone else’s day better, and that could make you feel better in return.”